By: Melanie Aanyu

The Uganda National Examinations Board-UNEB is seeking options on how to end impersonation in national examinations.

UNEB has observed that impersonation is emerging as the new most sophisticated way of malpractice with candidates hiring people to write their exams. For instance, two of the three documented examination malpractice cases included imposters who had been hired to sit examinations for the registered candidates.

UNEB spokesperson, Jennifer Kalule, says the board has discovered that in addition to individuals who have already been caught in the act, many others may be going unreported.

Already there is a long trail of cases of impersonation that have been registered over the years.

Moses Kakinda, a former UNEB scout, says that aside from collusion, impersonation is one of the widespread and covert forms of cheating that has remained unchecked for years.

While UNEB works to stop malpractice, a number of education experts claim that a complete assessment framework revamp is the best way to put a stop to such vices.

Nearly everyone who has appeared before the education policy reform commission has advocated for limiting the authority of the national exams.

The experts were saying that due to the stakes of the exam, malpractice might be unavoidable because a candidate’s life is profoundly affected by success on a national examination both immediately and over the long term.